Fed Interview Timeline
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
|
Any ideas on the average interview and hiring timeline for fed positions? I applied for and had a phone interview a week ago, but I have no idea how long it will take them to schedule in person interviews or not. I really would love this position but don't want to get my hopes up too much. I sent thank you emails the day of the phone interview.
If I don't hear back in two weeks, do I call their HR department or give up and have a cocktail? |
Anonymous
| I would say a month and you should email. |
Anonymous
| Wow, a month. I will definitely begin having cocktails while I wait! |
Anonymous
A month would be a short time frame actually. I've gotten 2 jobs from usa jobs and both took 4-8 months total from interviews to starting the actual job. |
Anonymous
| This is helpful to know, thank you for the input. I really like this possible position, but I am continuing my job search while the process moves forward. I've mostly worked for smaller organizations so hiring hasn't taken more than 1-2 months. |
Anonymous
| The hiring timeline even if they want you and you are the one varies depending on funding. I was picked by an agency in June and they didn't get funding until the end of the fiscal year; I started in late September. |
Anonymous
|
It really varies so much. If you hear back within a month, I'd say you're lucky.
Sorry OP, I'm in the same boat! |
Anonymous
| It takes months. |
Anonymous
| There is no average. Every agency and even office within agency is different. |
Anonymous
|
Really depends on the agency. I got my first call for a quick phone interview about 3 mos after applying (had pretty much assumed they'd moved on). The phone "interview" was about 10 minutes to check if I was still interested, and then they scheduled an in-person interview during that call for a week or two later. A couple days after my interview a friend from a previous job informed me they were checking my references, and I got a verbal offer about 1-1.5 weeks later. It took several weeks after I accepted for OPM to make me a formal offer (I can't remember, but I think I needed to have a preliminary background check first due to the nature of the position...full SF-86 and FBI background investigation happened after I started, but I was a conditional employee until it was completed)...at that point most of the details had been pre-negotiated.
I agree, though, that there is not typical/average. The hiring process was very fast once I was engaged in it. In retrospect, given the job posting deadline and the seasonal workload at that agency, there is no way anyone would have looked at resumes sooner than they did. But again, knowing my old boss, once they decided to start a hiring process they were going to move quickly to a decision. I think the OPM review for initial screening before candidates are passed to the agency for consideration takes about a month on average (but it really depends on the number of applicants and how easy/hard they are to screen out based on eligibility requirements). |